Practitioners of Peace

As of today, numerous conflicts continue to rage throughout the world with no end in sight. Meanwhile, in the last decade, many social issues have suddenly arisen that this generation is ill-equipped to solve. These include the rise of consumerism, climate change, and even the decline of mental health in the social media era. Many people have found themselves overcome by weltschmerz—a German phrase that literally means "world-weariness", conveying the feeling of hopelessness and powerlessness when thinking about the issues affecting society.

The question remains: how can individuals feel empowered to make a real difference in the world today?

From 25th to 28th July this year, around 550 young people aged 15-35 attended a youth conference inspired by the teachings of the Bahá'í Faith. The aim was to encourage and enable the participants to become "Practitioners of Peace". The exact meaning of this phrase (which was taken from the Bahá'í Writings) will be examined later, but essentially, it sought to provide young people with the tools to establish peace in their localities and tackle the aforementioned challenges. This was achieved through numerous interactive sessions over the four days, including social forums created and run by participants, aiming to link the content of the conference to real-world applications. This gathering of vibrant young people, full of meaningful conversations, creative art activities, and music, empowered participants to feel capable of contributing to the betterment of society while also developing numerous meaningful connections and friendships.

To set the stage for the establishment of peace, the conference initially challenged the participants to imagine what the world might look like in 10 years' time. The youth concluded that, although predictions about the future might differ from person to person, we can be sure that the destructive forces (apathy, consumerism, materialism, etc.) and constructive forces (empathy, mindfulness, collaboration, etc.) of society will shape this future. Despite the presence of these forces, young people should not be considered fragile to their effects or seen as mere spectators—they have the ability to be powerful protagonists and enact positive change within their communities despite these challenges. Moreover, any crisis humanity faces can be used as an opportunity for humans, especially the youth, to learn and prepare humanity for its next stage of evolution.

That said, it is almost impossible to remain completely unaffected by these forces rampant in our society—but how can we truly become the masters of our own choices? We must remain aware that every human being is endowed with the gift of free will and the ability to make choices. Bahá’u’lláh, the Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, tells us:

"The purpose for which mortal men have, from utter nothingness, stepped into the realm of being is to work for the betterment of the world and live together in concord and harmony."

From this, we can determine that the choices we make are intimately linked to the purpose we assign ourselves. So, in order to become practitioners of peace, we must determine our purpose as bringing peace to the world. This purpose requires both the knowledge of how peace can be achieved and the practice of good deeds to act on that knowledge.

Although we may understand how peace is theoretically achieved, how can this be applied to the real world? The first step is to achieve peace on a smaller scale. It is within the refuge of family or community that we develop values and principles that oppose the destructive forces of modern-day society. Therefore, these are the spaces in which we must first strive to establish unity. Most of us have experienced the role that community, family, and friends play in overcoming challenging feelings, and this is no different. Bahá’u’lláh supports this, as He states:

"The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established."

Therefore, a practitioner of peace must first create a foundation of unity within their locality to enable widespread peace to take root, providing a platform for virtues to be developed within its members, who can then offer service to their local area and its inhabitants.

The conference was essential in creating these practitioners, as practitioners first require educators who can provide both academic and spiritual education. This role is typically fulfilled by the older generation, who have walked paths of service before, offering youth valuable insight. Meanwhile, youth are well-suited to their role as key practitioners of peace due to their strong sense of justice, energetic nature, and the fact that they have more time on their hands compared to most adults with jobs.

The conference succeeded in creating an inspiring atmosphere, with youth left feeling invigorated and ready to take their teachings back to their communities, embarking on social action projects that would establish youth as a central force in community building. In my own local area of Wellingborough, I’ve witnessed significant changes since the conference. The youth who attended returned feeling energised and inspired. With support from other community members, they organised a weekend of service and study, which included a visit to the Bicester Bahá'í Training Centre. There, they offered their time and energy to help the custodians refresh the space after a busy summer of activities. In the evenings, the youth reflected on the role of the arts in community building.

We discussed how, in times of division, conflict, and unrest, the arts—whether music, visual art, or performance—can powerfully bring people together. The arts have the ability to unite people around shared causes and contribute to building a more peaceful and connected world. These conversations inspired the youth to invite their friends to join a study circle of the first book in the series of studies created by the Ruhi Institute so they could begin to learn together what community building looks like in our local area.

If young people across the globe could receive similar education and training, equipping them with the mindset and skills to be practitioners of peace, we might begin to witness a profound transformation. The efforts of just a few can ripple outward, influencing entire communities and laying the groundwork for a more just, harmonious world. By empowering youth to take ownership of this role, to build unity, and to engage in meaningful service, we not only give them the tools to resist the destructive forces of society but also harness their energy and idealism to create lasting change. Together, with each individual contributing to the betterment of their local community, we can take bold steps towards the peaceful, interconnected world that we all long to see. In a world often marked by division and strife, this generation can become the torchbearers of peace, leading humanity toward a future defined by cooperation, empathy, and justice.

"Practitioners of Peace", written by Alfie Lee Webb